You will bless a child in

Uganda

Uganda is located in East Africa, home to Africa’s largest freshwater lake, Lake Victoria. There are more than 30 languages spoken in Uganda, with Swahili and English being the official languages. Uganda hosts the third largest number of refugees in the world, with more than a million refugees fleeing civil unrest in neighboring South Sudan and Democratic Republic of the Congo. Samaritan’s Purse began distributing gift-filled shoeboxes there in 1997 and launched The Greatest Journey, our follow-up discipleship program, in this nation in 2010.

Read Stories from the Field

Mukisa, 10, lives in the slums of Kampala where he rejoiced to receive a shoebox gift packed full with a soccer ball, a water bottle, pencils, and a notebook. “I thank God for the gifts and mainly the soccer ball which I was praying for,” he said. With this new gift, Mukisa formed Life Eternal Soccer Academy in which he reaches out to other children in his community, sharing his faith in Jesus Christ through sports. He also uses the notebook he received in his shoebox gift to write down Scripture passages mentioned in his family’s morning devotions. These gifts are helping him grow in his knowledge of God.

Pray for Your Shoebox Recipient

“Whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”—Matthew 21:22

Please don’t stop praying for the boy or girl that you first lifted up when you packed your shoebox. Continue to ask God to soften his or her heart to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, so that he or she will follow Him all the days of their life. Pray also for families and entire communities to be transformed as God’s love is shared through your simple gift.

The Greatest Journey

After your shoebox gift delights a boy or girl, you can give them the opportunity to participate in The Greatest Journey.

Taught by trained local teachers, this 12-lesson discipleship program shows children how to follow Christ and share Him with others. As boys and girls share the Scripture stories they learn in class, their friends and family come to faith—growing churches, starting new congregations, and transforming communities by the power of the Gospel.

Send a child on The Greatest Journey for just $6!

Record Where Your Shoebox Went

Our Follow Your Box Map is specifically designed for you to keep track over multiple years where your shoebox gifts have blessed children in need.

Consider displaying one in your church or home as a reminder to pray for the boys and girls who have been blessed by your generosity.